Paris  - European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday called for a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas to allow humanitarian aid into the embattled Gaza Strip after an emergency meeting in Paris.

But Israel has already ruled out the idea of a 48-hour ceasefire, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said.

"There must be an unconditional halt to rocket attacks by Hamas on Israel and an end to Israeli military action. The cessation of fighting should allow lasting and normal opening of all border crossings," the ministers said in a joint statement.

Tehran - Dozens of Islamist students stormed a British compound in Tehran Tuesday night to protest the Israeli assault in the Gaza Strip, tearing down the British flag before police restored order, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The students broke into the diplomatic residence in the northern part of the city during demonstrations against Western support for Israel and replaced the Union Jack with a Palestinian flag. The complex houses British diplomats and a school.

Cairo - Many entertainers and organizations in the Arab world have cancelled their New Year's celebrations in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip following four days of a massive Israeli air offensive.

Four days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the tiny enclave has left at least 380 Palestinians dead and more than 1,800 injured, prompting angry demonstrations that have overtaken the festive mood typically behind New Year's celebrations.

Tel Aviv - Israeli careta

Tel Aviv  - Two upgraded Russian-type Grad rockets struck the southern Israeli city of Beersheba Tuesday night, for the first time since Palestinian rocket attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip began seven years ago.

An empty kindergarten was struck in the city as well as an open area just to the south of when the rockets fell after darkness, Israeli media reported.

Paris  - European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday discussed calling for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas to allow humanitarian aid into the embattled Gaza Strip, diplomatic sources said.

The discussion focused on the details of how long a ceasefire should last and how the combatants could move beyond it to a longer-lasting truce, diplomats said.

But Israel has already ruled out the idea of a 48-hour ceasefire as proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, a spokesman for caretaker prime minister Ehud Olmert said.